Eye shield and sinus compressor



Feb. 29, 1944. M. M. QUERING 2,343,157

' EYE ASHIELD AND SINUS COMPRESSOR Filed Aug. 16, 1941 Patented Feb. 29,1944 TE'D vSTATE S PATE NT `O FF l CE EYE SHIELD AND SINUS-COMPRESSORMary (.luernggy Chicago, Ill.

.Application August 16, 1941, SerialNo. 407,155

.My invention relates to .n an eye yshield and sinusrecompressoradapted-not only for use as an eyeprotector-.or shield :toexclude light rays in connectionzwith treatments lof vthe -eyes orto:re- Jduce -zstrain from 'light or. induce vrestful sleep, :but primarilyto fshield-the'eyes ,while properly conforming to .theiacesaroundztheeye cavities, lholding :and retaining in .place :over4 the eyes l.in theorbital :recesses .between the forehead Nand eyebrowsnose and cheeks,Vai wad batting .or rpad Vof-cloth, cotton ror :soft paper tissueproperly saturated or impregnated with medicinal liquid without causingundesired pressure onthe eyes .at theeyelids and lashes while-properlysupported Vand positively retaining in place the i'pads over the eyesand serving to compress or press against the'sinuses or forehead and'between the 'eyesva-nd eyebrows to relieveV sinus pain.

Another object is vto provide an eye shield whichpermitseither one Aorboth eyes to' be-exvposed -or left-uncovered without removing the devicefrom the head, Fespecially*Where only one eye is being treated.

VVAnother object is to so construct the eye shield of novel and simpleblanks tofacilitate'manufacture land render 'cost economical and toassist in definitely positioning and `supporting the device on the faceover the eyes by adaptingthe same to 'rest upon the nose and to fasten'around the head 'to t persons with 'different `h'eadsizes.

Still 'another 4object `of 'the .invention is to constructithe eyeshields lorco'vers otmaterial cut 'on the'bias so as'to 'accomplish 'the'foregoing l'objects :and `advantages `and to bulge out in'concavo-convex shape in 'proper conformity with'the 'facearoun'd theeyes and eye cavities tofo'rm"pockets'to'receive and hold a medicatedDali orsaturated paddingin addition to precludingthe passage or entranceof"light to the eyes. vvStill another object of the invention is to"provid'e'novelblanks from which 'to construct the eye shield and `tosimplify the structure .and manufacture and render same more economicalas well as to produce a more serviceable device of relatively lightweight.

`.'Further objects and advantages will kappear aridfbe'v brought out.more fully AVin, 4the following specification, reference being had .tothe accompanying drawing, vin which:

Fig. 1.is a perspectivelview of the .device-showingthe same applied;

...F-ig. `2is afrontelevation ofthe device applied but .with 'faflapofone eyeshie'ld-turned up;

Fig. 31s an enlarged frontMelevation of the -eye shield andsinusycompresso'rdetached; y

Figeis afrearfelevation of the device as shown in Fig. '3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

I ing same.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is aman-view of a blank v:from which a ycenter or nose piece ismade; V

Fig. 8-is a similar View of the blank folded;

Fig.9 is a plan view of a blank oi" `a modiiied formv for producing the'eye shields; and

Fig, 10 isaview of the Ablank shown in Fig. 9

folded.

Referring to the drawing the eye shield proper is designatedgenerallyfat `I5 and byreason Aof extending up over the brows and acrossthe temples and 'forehead also serves as a sinus compressor tovrelievepain therefrom and in treat- The eye :shields proper aredesignated at i6 and-I1 and comprise sections or outer and inner pliesI8 .and I9 of suitable textile material -or cloth suchias cotton Ymuslinor some suitable material which will permit the passage of air and whichis readily .washable and of light weight. These sections are preferablyquarter elliptical `or quarter ovat-e in shape and lhave straight inneredges 2|) and straight bottom edges 2l substantially perpendicularthereto and `arcuate or convextop edges 22 although theibottom edges 2|are somewhat longer than the inner substantially upright edges 20 andtherefore cause the sections or blanks to taper more sharply toward thejuncture ci the sides 2| and 22 or at the apexes than at the cornersproduced by the juncture of the sides 2li and 22. As shownat -23 and 24,the material of the sections or the'blanks is preferably cutony thebias, thevthreads running fromthe upper inner cornerto the apexor lowerouter corner at thejuncture of the sides 2| and 22 and from the lowerinner corners or juncture of the sidesvZ and 2l diagonallytoward theside 22 thereby permitting the sections to stretch somewhat and bulgeoutwardly in concavo-con- Vex formation to form pockets or cavities lyasWell as to snugly t and conform to the contour of the face at theforehead, temples and cheeks around the orbital recesses and to bindagainst the sinuses. Two plies or sections I8 and I9 are used for eachshield and they Vmay be sewn together around the edges with Aor withouta binding or tape 25 foldedover said edges and'stitched thereto as shownat 25a to prevent unraveling and produce `a smoother, rsof'tervand moreattractive edge and finish. The sections of theshield just described areconnected at the center by a centerpiece or vbridge 2E which issubstantially diamond `shaped as shown in Fig. 'Tin sofar as the blankfromiwhich the same is made is concerned .and this blankisfoldedintermediately to triangular #formi on thevline .21ccnnectingfthe obtuse angled `sidesso that the iacute vangled endswillgmeetfand the .opposedsidesc .'28 `will loverlie one another withthe folded edge 21 resting upon the bridge of the nose and serving topositively position and center the device as well as support it inproper relation to the eyes and face. This center piece or bridge 23 maybe sewed along the inner edges 2f! at their upper portions where thelatter meet or converge at the point 28 of the bridge piece, the sideedges 20 diverging downwardly and the opposite tapered edges of thebridge piece being sewn to the sections of the eyelids or covers inconjunction with the bindings 25 or independently thereof as indicatedat 3E. This center or bridge piece may alsobe cut on the bias from thesame material as the shield sections although any suitable number ofplies may be employed. An elastic or other head band 3l consisting of asuitable length of elastic tape or rubber, may be used to support thedevice on the head in conjunction with the nose or bridge piece and thesame is fastened at one end to one of the sections as indicated at 32 atthe juncture of the sides 2l and 22 and the opposite end carries a partof a separable fastener such as a ball or head 33 adapted to detachabllyengage a socket 3d fastened to the other eye shield at the correspondingextremity or tapered free end formed at the juncture of the sides 2l and22 thereof so as to encircle the head and extend over the ears so thatthe device will be properly supported and maintained in its positionrelative to the forehead and eye cavities. It should be noted that thebridge piece 26 terminates at its lower edge substantially in alinementwith the connections of the head band to the outer corners, therebyforming triangular naps at the lower portions of the shields I6 and ilbelow the line of stress between the ends of the head band. By thisconstruction these flaps, or either of them independently, may be turnedinwardly and upwardly to form a pocket or pockets to hold a medicatedpad to the eye.

In Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawing the blank from which the shields properare produced may be made in one piece as indicated at 35 with both pliesintegral and adapted to be folded along the center line 3E. This blankis substantially semi-elliptical or semi-ovate and the cloth thereof ispreferably cut on the bias the same as previously described and as shownin Figs. 9 and 10. This produces the sides 18a and I9a with the edges20a, 2Ia, and 22a, which, when secured in assembled relation inconnection with a center or bridge piece and the bindings will produce astructure otherwise the same as previously described and shown. In eachinstance, the portions of the shields which project below the lower orfolded odge 21 of the center or bridge piece 25 along the edges 20 and2l produce flaps 31 which are free to be folded upwardly either towardthe inside along the line 38 connecting the base or bottom edge of thebridge piece with apexes of the shield members I6 and l1 at the junctureof the sides 2l and 22 as seen more particularly by the dotted and dashlines shown in Fig. 4 or upwardly toward the front so as to exposeeither or both eyes by uncovering the same and permit view especially byone eye when the other eye is being covered and treated. The pockets orconcavo-convex cavities produced by the formation of the shield membersI6 and I1 serve to receive and hold a pad or wad of cloth, cotton orsoft paper tissue as indicated at 39 in Figs. and 6 of the drawing whichis held toward the eyes without unduly pressing thereon. When the flapsare turned inwardly they tend when not confined at home.

to serve as retainers which support the batting or pad as shown moreparticularly in dotted lines in Fig. 5 but may be turned upwardly andoutwardly if desired and by reason of the material being cut on the biasand stress placed thereon by the head band and the elastic characterthereof and the material or cloth formation, the eye shield as producedwill tend to draw the same tightly across said lines 38 where the apsare folded so as not to obscure the vision by dropping down.

y It will thus be seen that I have provided an I eye sheld and sinuscompressor which is not only adapted as an eye protector or shield toexclude light rays in connection with treatments or to reduce strainfrom light but also to induce restful sleep by precluding the entranceof light, but primarily to shield the eyes while supporting a medicatedpad or pads against theeyes and in holding, supporting and retaining thesame in position over the eyes and in the orbital recesses in properconformity to the forehead, brows, nose and cheeks. The device will alsopermit exposure of one eye by uncovering the same to facilitatetreatment or application of the medicated pads or to permit vision ofone eye while the other is covered and being treated especially Thedevice will also avoid unnecessary and undesirable pressure on the eyesand may be economically produced with facility.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modication without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters l Patent is:

1. An eye shield and sinus compressor including substantially quarterovate cloth sections joined together at the top with their straightedges at the inside and bottom, and a triangular bridge piece connectingthe inner edges of said sections, said bridge piece terminating inspaced relation to the bottom edges of the sections to form triangularflaps at the bottom portions of the sections adapted to be foldedupwardly.

2. An eyeshield comprising a pair of substantially quarter-ovate clothsections connected at the points of juncture of the curved edges withthe shorter sides, said curved edges being at the top and said shortersides diverging downwardly at an acute angle to extend on each side of anose, a triangular bridge piece extending downwardly part way betweensaid shorter sides and connected thereto, a head band connected to thepoints of juncture of the outer ends of the longer sides and the curvededges, the last said points of juncture and the bottom edges of saidnose piece being in substantial alignment,.forming triangular flapsdefined by a line extending between the outer corners of the said clothsections, the lower longer sides thereof and the portion of the shortersides below the bridge piece,

whereby said flaps may be turned inwardly and upwardly for the purposespecied.

MARY M. QUERING.

